Love and Betrayal
by MUZBNUTS
Summary: Events take place in the Birds lives that force them to realize just how much they mean to each other.
1. Part 1

This fanfic, if it survives takes place some time after Three Birds and a Baby. I have used a little liberty here with events. I thought this idea up a while back before the episodes that followed Three Birds, so keep in mind that none of the eps that followed come into play here. This is my first foray into online fanfic, so here goes nothing:  
  
"Helena! How many times do I have to tell you! It's important to keep in constant communication when you are on patrol! Something could have happened! You have to stop turning the comms off whenever it suits your fancy!"  
  
Barbara glared angrily at her protege. Oh, how she had worried when Helena had gone off-line. And right in the middle of a heated battle with a perp that had been behind a recent mugging spree in New Gotham. After Barbara had lost contact with Helena, she had immediately become angry.  
  
Why does she always have to do that? she had thought. But when Helena had been off-line for over an hour, Barbara had become anxious. She knew that Helena hadn't really wanted to take up her father's mantle. In fact, when Helena had first discovered that her father was Bruce Wayne and that his alterego was Batman, she wanted nothing but for Batman to take revenge on the man who had murdered her mother. When she discovered that would never happen, Helena decided she wanted nothing to do with the man. It was only out of a need to release her anger, coupled with a loyalty toward Barbara Gordon, that Helena reluctantly agreed to become the crime fighter, Huntress.  
  
What if something has happened to her? Thoughts of dread spread in Barbara's mind like a cancer. She had always thought that, as the all- seeing, all-knowing Oracle, she could have Huntress' back via the cyber- technology at her command. But what if she was wrong? Tonight would be the night that Dinah and Gabby would go to a party clear across town. Barbara had silently chided herself for that thought. It wasn't like she could triangulate Huntress' position and send Dinah there even if she had stayed home. With Helena's comm set off, Oracle was virtually deaf and blind. It was actually more frustrating than being stuck in the wheelchair that Barbara had become intimately familiar with over the past seven years.  
  
But when Helena had appeared in the loft elevator three hours later without so much as a scratch, the anger had returned. At this point, Barbara was furious. They'd had this argument before, but things had been different then. Helena had been different. She had been struggling to deal with the loss of her mother then. Now she was dealing with a second loss. Guy. Helena had rescued him as a baby. They later found that he had been bio-engineered to become an assassin. To accomplish this, Guy was implanted with a special encoded neuro-mesh that when triggered would cause Guy to become severely aggressive. Combine that with a special growth hormone that was triggered every time Guy fell asleep. He grew from an infant to an elderly gentleman in a matter of a couple of days. Somehow, Helena had become attached to Guy. So much so, that she had resurrected the sheild she had created for herself after Selina's death. That impenetrable shield that Helena had constructed to ensure that nobody could ever get close enough to cause her pain. Barbara had made every effort to help Helena tear down that shield. Of late, Helena had been lowering the shield on her own. Her defenses were completely down when it came to Guy. Which is why it hurt her so much that she couldn't stop his growth process and keep him from dying. In her mind, heroes were supposed to save people, and by not saving Guy, she had failed him. Since Guy's death, the shield had been resurrected. Helena had become introverted. She wouldn't let anyone in, even Barbara, and Barbara knew that when she was like this, Helena was self-destructive. She'd take risks and put herself in situations that she might not make it out of. That was what worried Barbara so much during those hours of non-communication - that Helena may have gotten herself into something she knew she couldn't survive. That was why Barbara was so furious now. It was an anger based on fear that was reserved only for those Barbara cared for - for those she loved. And she unleashed it without mercy.  
  
"How could you be so STUPID?!"  
  
Helena stared incredulously at Barbara. From the moment she had stepped out of the elevator, Barbara had lit into her about turning off the comm set. Why couldn't she just understand that, sometimes, Helena just needed to be alone. She'd heard and participated in this same argument hundreds of times in the past. Most of the time, the arguments would run their course and fizzle out with an apology. But this time, Helena refused to back down.  
  
"Damn-it-to-hell, Barbara! Stop treating me like a child! I've been doing this for a while now! I'm damn good at it! I don't always need Jimminy Cricket chattering in my ear! In fact, there are times when I actually believe that your techno-babble may put me to sleep in the middle of a fight! Give me a little credit here! I know how to do the job, dammit!"  
  
"I'm treating you like a child, because you're acting like one! The whole point of you wearing a comm set is so that I can help you when you need help! So sorry if I bore you out there, but the fact is, you need all the help you can get! You're too damn reckless! You need to start thinking before you react! It's what gets you in trouble time and time again! Where are you going?!"  
  
Helena had started walking toward the elevator.  
  
"Out! I've had it with this nonsense! I want to have a little fun!"  
  
"Get back here! You've already had enough fun for the night! We're not through talking about this!"  
  
That got Helena's attention. She spun around, her eyes changing with her mounting anger. "Don't you DARE! Don't you dare presume you have the right to talk to me that way! You have no right to tell me where I can go and you can't tell me what to do! Only one person could ever do that, and she died seven years ago! You're not my mother! You're nothing like her and you never will be!" With that she spun back around, storming into the elevator, and slamming into Dinah who was just exiting it. Then she was gone.  
  
Dinah looked from the elevator to Barbara. "What the hell was that all about? Did I just miss another argument?"  
  
Barbara turned away from Dinah, concealing the look of pain in her eyes. She didn't want the girl to know how much Helena's words had hurt her.  
  
But Alfred hadn't missed the look. "Just another of the non-earth- shattering arguments that frequently mire the sanctity of this clocktower," he said, jokingly.  
  
"Oh. So nothing unusual happened while I was away. Well, the concert was great, but I'm tired. I'm going to bed. G'night."  
  
As soon as Dinah was out of the room, Alfred approached Barbara. "I'm certain that Miss Helena didn't mean any of that. She was just angry."  
  
"I know, Alfred. I know what she's been going through, but that doesn't make the words sting any less. I just wish she'd stop pushing me away and let me in. She's so unhappy and she won't let me help her."  
  
"You can't help someone until they are ready for your help. I learned that with Master Bruce, and Helena is more like her father than she'd care to know." Alfred gave Barbara a knowing look.  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right. And so is Dinah. It's getting late and, unlike Dinah, I have be at New Gotham High tomorrow. I hate it when the kids get to spend the day relaxing at home, while the teachers get to stress over their futures. It just doesn't seem fair somehow." Laughing, Barbara turned her chair toward the elevator, preparing to return to her apartment and get some well-needed sleep. The long nights of a superhero weren't all they were cracked up to be. Especially when your alterego had a day job.  
  
It's such a beautiful day, Dinah thought, as she made her way toward Barbara's classroom. She thought Barbara could use a break and wanted to take her to lunch. When she reached the room, she discovered that the door was locked. Thinking that odd, Dinah peered through the window and knocked. What she saw struck fear in her heart. The classroom was a shambles, and in the far corner, Dinah could just make out a shape past Barbara's desk that made her gasp in horror. It was the wheel of Barbara's overturned wheelchair! Without a second thought, Dinah broke the window and reached in to open the door from the inside. Once the door was opened, she ran toward the wheelchair and almost tripped over Barbara's prone form. She lay there on the floor, broken and beaten, and - to Dinah's horror - unmoving.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED....  
  
So, what do you think? 


	2. Part 2

"Hey, Kyle, it's for you." The owner of the Dark Horse Bar held out the phone for Helena Kyle. From the deep frown on his face, Helena guessed that her boss wasn't happy that she was receiving personal calls at work. Helena was a tad bit annoyed herself. She had turned off her comms for a reason. She wanted time to herself with no interruptions from Oracle and her Delphi crime monitor.  
  
Helena sincerely hoped that it wasn't Barbara on the other end of that phone line. Sometimes, she just didn't know when to leave well enough alone. Since her mother was murdered, Helena vowed never to allow herself to get that close to anyone ever again. The pain Helena had experienced when Selina died in her arms was enough of an incentive to keep anyone and everyone at arms distance. But Barbara Gordon just wouldn't give up. She kept on trying while all others ran in the other direction. And soon, Helena found herself letting Barbara in. Then there was Dinah. And Reese. But it was Guy that reminded her once and for all of the vow she had made after Selina's death.  
  
Guy was just a baby when Helena found him. A genetically altered and enhanced baby, who had become a full grown man in days. Helena was surprised to find herself caring so deeply for someone she'd barely had time to know. It was the similarities of their situations that had drawn her to him. There were no parents to care for him. He didn't understand his strange abilities or the rapid aging process he had been subjected to. She found that she had a maternal instinct she'd never imagined. She grew protective of him, comforted him when he was afraid, and cared for him as if he were her own. And cried for him days later, when he died. Barbara had been unable to stop the accelerated aging process that finally killed him. The pain Helena felt at losing Guy was a horrible reminder of why she shouldn't get too close to anyone.  
  
Knowing that Barbara was getting to close for comfort, Helena decided to start pushing her away. It was maddening. However hard Helena pushed, Barbara came back twice as strong. Until last night. Helena had decided to show Barbara that she didn't need her by turning off the comm set she always wore on her nightly patrols. The night was rough and coming home to a lecture was the last thing she needed. She decided to let Barbara have it with both barrels. Boy, did she ever! She could see the pain in Barbara's eyes, but couldn't stop the verbal assault. It was a last ditch effort on Helena's part to push Barbara away. As far as Helena knew, it had worked. It was the first time that she could remember, that the two of them had argued like that without Barbara trying to smooth things over in the end. Helena hadn't heard from Barbara last night or today. Maybe she had finally gotten the point and decided to stay away. Or maybe she had decided to call her at work instead of leaving countless messages on Helena's answering machine.  
  
"You gonna take this, or what?!"  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Don't go getting yourself all twisted."  
  
"Make it quick, Kyle. We're too busy for gossip calls today."  
  
"Funny. Really - you could be a comedian." She took the phone from her boss, flashing him a devious grin. "Just don't quit your day job." Then, turning her attention to the phone, "This had better be good!"  
  
The voice on the other end sent chills through her. It was Dinah, and she was sobbing. "He-helena...you have to come quick...she's hurt."  
  
Fear crept up Helena's spine. Instinctively she knew, but she had to ask. "Okay, slow down, Dinah. Who's hurt?"  
  
"Barbara...it's Barbara. They took her to New Gotham Memorial Hospital"  
  
Barbara - she'd been hurt. But how badly? Judging from Dinah's condition on the phone, it had to be pretty bad.  
  
"I'm on my way!" And with that, she hung up the phone and dashed out from behind the bar.  
  
"Hey, Kyle, where the hell do ya think you're going!"  
  
She barely heard him as she sped out of the bar en route to New Gotham Memorial.  
  
----------------  
  
She couldn't get the picture out of her head - Barbara lying there on the floor of the classroom, battered and bloody. Dinah had screamed for help, praying that someone would hear her as she ran to Barbara.  
  
Please don't let her be dead! was the only thought running through her mind. Dinah was only somewhat relieved to find a weak and thready pulse. Barbara's breathing was labored, and there was blood everywhere. Things seemed to slow down and muddle together from that point on. She somehow found herself riding in an ambulance headed toward New Gotham Memorial Hospital. Once they arrived at the hospital, Barbara was whisked away into the ER. Since then, no one had bothered to tell her anything. Then, the police had shown up requesting a statement. She had been hysterical when she called Helena, having revisited the scene several times for the detectives.  
  
All she wanted now was to know that Barbara was going to be alright. But no one was telling her that. It was as if she was invisible. Frustrated, she turned toward the Nurses' Station. That's when she spotted Helena charging through the ER doors.  
  
"Dinah! What happened?"  
  
"Oh, Helena..." Dinah tearfully told Helena everything that had happened. "And now, no one will tell me anything! I'm so scared, Helena. If you had seen her..." Dinah trailed off in mid-sentence as she spotted Helena's eyes change. Barbara had long ago explained this phenomenon to Dinah. Helena's eyes changed when she was about to do battle, or when she was experiencing extreme emotion.  
  
Dinah flashed back to the argument that she had walked in on the night before, and suddenly took two steps back. Helena had been really angry with Barbara last night. Dinah had seen what Huntress could do when given enough incentive. What if Helena had gone to see Barbara at the school, and they had gotten into some kind of argument? Could Helena have done this? Dinah would like to have said no, but how well did she really know Helena. She'd been ready to use her powers on Dinah when she borrowed Helena's sweater one day.  
  
Helena watched Dinah back-pedal away from her and realized with horror what was going through Dinah's mind. How could she think that Helena would harm Barbara? Helena was about to ask Dinah just that, when a doctor approached them.  
  
"Excuse me. The nurse said you were asking about Barbara Gordon? Are you a relative?"  
  
"Sort of," Helena responded. "She was my guardian until I turned eighteen. She's presently Dinah's legal guardian. Is Barbara going to be alright?"  
  
"Well, she suffered a great deal of trauma. She's suffered lacerations, contusions, two broken ribs, and numerous other injuries, but our main concern is the head injury. She hasn't regained consciousness yet. Until then, we'll have no idea as to the seriousness of the injury."  
  
"Can we see her?" Helena needed to see her, only then would this nightmare seem real. Dinah reiterated the request, all the while keeping a watchful, untrusting eye on Helena.  
  
"Yes, but only for a short time I'm afraid. Hospital policy."  
  
-----------------  
  
Helena and Dinah entered the room together, but Helena stopped short just inside the doorway. There was Barbara's broken form lying on a hospital bed, attached to I.V.s and hooked up to machinery. Helena felt her world falling apart. The very thing she had fought so hard against had happened. She'd let Barbara get too close. It had been too late to push her away, and now, Helena stood to lose Barbara the same way she had lost her mother.  
  
Dinah saw the look on Helena's face. That, coupled with what Helena said next, made Dinah realize that she had been wrong in suspecting Helena.  
  
"I turned the comms off," she whispered. "I wasn't wearing them when she got hurt. She could have been calling me for help and how would I have known? Stupid! How could I have been so stupid?! She needed me and I let her down." A tear streaked down Helena's cheek and Dinah instantly felt like an idiot for not realizing that Helena would never do anything to harm Barbara.  
  
"Helena, you can't blame yourself anymore than I can for not getting to the classroom sooner. You know better than I do that Barbara wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened to her."  
  
Helena didn't answer. She just kept her eyes on Barbara.  
  
"Helena, who would do this?"  
  
----------To Be Continued  
  
Okay folks - tired beyond words, so it's "Bedtime for Bonzo". Let me know what you think of this second installment. 


	3. Part 3

Helena stood rooted to the entrance of the hospital room. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. She barely registered that Dinah had just asked her a question. All of Helena's attention was focused on the figure lying in the hospital bed across the room. Helena's jaw clenched as she took it all in - the bruises, the bandages, the IVs, and the monitors. She wasn't sure who she was angrier at - whoever had attacked Barbara Gordon, or herself for failing Barbara when she needed her most.  
  
"Helena?"  
  
I turned off the comms. She needed me and I didn't know because I wasn't wearing them. What have I done?  
  
"Helena?" Dinah lay a sympathetic hand on Helena's shoulder. She knew how much Barbara meant to Helena, even if Helena couldn't admit it to herself. "Helena, who could have done this to her?"  
  
As if coming out of a dream, Helena slowly turned to acknowledge Dinah. "I- I don't know. It could have been anyone. She made so many enemies in her days as Batgirl." Helena's voice trailed off as she turned once more to look into the room. She couldn't actually bring herself to walk into the room. To get a closer look at Barbara's injuries would make the nightmare more of a reality, and Helena was still hoping she would wake up and find that this was all a horrible dream. "But whoever it was must know by now that she's still alive."  
  
".and they might come here to finish the job," Dinah finished the thought. "Maybe you should contact Reese - get him to post a guard outside the door," Dinah suggested. She knew the answer before it escaped Helena's lips.  
  
"No. If he hasn't landed this case yet, I'd just as soon not draw attention to it. If Reese starts poking his nose around, he might end up finding out more about us than we want him to at this point. Besides."  
  
The sentence went unfinished as Helena turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Dr. Gerard Billings, the doctor who had explained Barbara's condition moments ago was headed toward them, chart in hand.  
  
"I'm sorry, ladies, but you will have to leave now. You understand that I'm already bending the hospital's rules here. Only family members are allowed to visit critical patients."  
  
"We are family," Helena stated firmly, glaring angrily at the doctor.  
  
"Yes, well..er.even family members can only stay for a short time. I am truly sorry, but you will have to leave. The hospital will contact you if there are any changes in Ms. Gordon's condition."  
  
Dinah turned to Helena, looking for her to argue with the doctor, but Helena had already turned to walk down the hall. Dinah ran to catch up and grabbed Helena's arm. "Wait, where are you going?"  
  
"He needs to believe I'm leaving. I need you to go back there and cause a scene - divert their attention away from the room. It should only take a minute for me to slip inside. Then you call Alfred and have him take you home."  
  
"You're going to watch her from inside the room?!"  
  
"Damned straight! That's why I don't want to get in touch with Reese. If he posts a cop outside the door, this creep might decide to back off. Even if he does try to get to Barbara anyway, all the cops will do is arrest him and that's not enough."  
  
The look on Helena's face was enough to send a shiver down Dinah's spine. She'd seen Helena angry before, close to the edge, but she'd never seen her this close. Right now, Helena was teetering toward the point of no return. Dinah believed that if Barbara's attacker did make an appearance tonight, he'd be dead by morning, and judging from Helena's state of mind right now, it would be a slow, painful death. "Helena."  
  
"Look, Dinah, we're losing our window of opportunity here! Just do it!"  
  
Dinah knew she didn't have a choice. Regardless of whether or not she helped, Helena would find some way to get into that room. Besides, maybe this animal deserved a piece of his own medicine. Dinah just hoped that Helena would remember Barbara's constant admonition never to cross the line. Maybe that would keep her from killing the creep.  
  
Dinah ran toward Dr. Billings. "Doctor, please, you don't understand! Barbara's the only family I have! Please, don't make me leave."  
  
While Dinah grabbed at the now very uncomfortable doctor's coat sleeve, pleading with him to let her stay, Helena stealthily made her way into Barbara Gordon's room. Just as the head nurse made a move to call hospital security, Dinah let go of Dr. Billings' arm and shuffled toward the Nurses' Station requesting to use the phone. She hoped that she had given Helena enough time.  
  
Dr. Billings smoothed his lab coat and stepped away from the grief-stricken teenager. Why did he always get the rough ones? He just knew that bending the rules would get him into trouble. He almost hadn't let them see Ms. Gordon. He hadn't liked the look of that other one.the other one.where was she? He quickly walked toward the room.  
  
Dinah, talking to Alfred on the phone, the tears falling from her eyes genuine now, watched the doctor as he approached Barbara's room. As he stepped inside, she held her breath.  
  
Dr. Billings entered the room and looked around, but all he found was Barbara Gordon surrounded by tubes and monitors. He shook his head at his foolishness. Of course, the girl had left. She had started walking away as soon as he had told them they had to leave. Why she would leave the younger girl behind was none of his business.  
  
When she was sure he would not return, Helena slipped out of concealment. Had the doctor looked up when he entered the room, he would have been astonished to see Helena Kyle crouched above him, in the niche between the corner walls and ceiling. She had breathed a sigh of relief when he left the room, convinced it was empty. Spider-man she wasn't, and supporting yourself between walls and ceiling was no easy task. Now that he was gone, Helena could commit her full attention to guarding Barbara. Taking care to stay out of the line of site of anyone passing by the room's entrance, Helena slowly approached the bed. Seeing the injuries from afar was difficult enough, but now, as she stood beside the hospital bed, Helena could see the extent of Barbara's injuries more clearly. Whoever had done this had been filled with hate, of that much Helena was sure.  
  
As she stood there, gazing at the woman who had taken her in, become her mentor and her friend, Helena was filled with regret. She had said some terrible things to Barbara in that last argument. What if those were the last things she ever got to say to her? She couldn't bear the thought. Tears flowing freely, Helena prayed that Barbara would hear her as she whispered, "Oh, Barbara.oh God. I'm so sorry! I should have been there - should have stopped this. I failed you. You took me in when no one else would. No matter how hard I pushed you away, you kept coming back for more. You never gave up on me. Never stopped believing in me. And look how I've repaid you. All those things I said the other night.I didn't mean any of it. It's just.every time I let someone get close.I lose them. After Mom, I swore that I'd never let myself get that close to anyone again. Losing her hurt so much. But I blew it! I let you in. Last night, I said that you weren't anything like my mother and that you never would be. I lied. The truth is that you're more than just a mentor to me. More than just a friend. You're family. You're like my Mom - as close to me as she was, and as hard as I've fought against it, I've found myself loving you just as much. I love you, Barbara. Please hang on. I can't lose you, too. Please." 


	4. Part 4

Who the hell is that? , he thought. He stood cloaked in shadow in the hospital hallway just across from Barbara Gordon's room. He had been incensed to discover that she'd survived the attack at the school. He'd heard that Barbara's charge, Dinah, had found her and saved her life. He had waited until 3 AM to come to New Gotham Memorial to finish the job he'd begun at the school. No one was supposed to be here at this hour. The idiots at New Gotham's police precinct hadn't even thought to post a guard, even knowing that her father had been the Commissioner. So, who was this woman, clad in black, lurking in the darkest shadows of the room, guarding his prey? Well, he was a patient man. He'd waited this long to get back at Gordon, he can wait a little longer to complete his mission. ----- Dinah stumbled into the kitchen, where Alfred had already begun preparing a light breakfast. She was exhausted, having woken up several times during the night after dreams of discovering Barbara's body in her classroom.  
  
"Good morning, Miss Dinah, I do hope I didn't wake you."  
  
"No, Alfred. I couldn't sleep." She rubbed at her eyes and sat at the table.  
  
"Worried about Miss Barbara, no doubt," he gave her a knowing glance. "Well, you're not alone. Miss Barbara is like a niece to me. But it's not just Miss Barbara that I'm worried about." He brought a plate of eggs and bacon over to Dinah.  
  
"Helena," Dinah said, toying with her eggs, finding that she wasn't really hungry.  
  
"Yes," Alfred nodded. "Underneath that hard exterior, there still lurks that frightened little girl that Miss Barbara took in seven years ago. Miss Helena tries very hard to make others believe that she doesn't need anyone in her life, but I know the truth. I've watched her grow under Miss Barbara's care and I've witnessed how close those two have become. It would devastate Miss Helena to lose Miss Barbara, and vice-versa." -----  
  
Helena crouched in the darkest corner of the room. Dawn was fast approaching and she had to be ready to spring out of sight once the change of shift began. So far, there had been no sign of Barbara's attacker, though she'd sensed something earlier. The feeling was strong enough for her to risk peeking out of the room into the shadows of the darkened hallway. But by then, the feeling was gone, and the hallway was empty.  
  
"Nghh..."  
  
Helena jumped up. Barbara groaned again. Helena watched the hallway from her hiding spot in the room. Noting no activity, she quickly stepped to Barbara's bedside. Barbara groaned a third time.  
  
"Shh," she whispered, brushing a lock of Barbara's hair from her forehead. "It's okay, Barbara. You're safe."  
  
Barbara stirred, her eyelids fluttering. Then, suddenly, they snapped open, her eyes darting back and forth, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes grew wide with fear.  
  
Helena, taking Barbara's hand, spoke in soothing tones, "Barbara, it's okay. You're in the hospital, but you're gonna be okay." She hoped it was true. From the look on Barbara's face, she didn't seem to know where she was.  
  
NO! Not again! I can't go through this again! The first thought that ran through Barbara's befuddled mind upon finding herself in a hospital room, was that she was somehow reliving her last stay, when one bullet from Joker's gun changed her life forever. Then her eyes focused on Helena's concerned features, and everything came back to her - almost everything. She knew she wasn't in the hospital as a result of being shot by Joker - that had happened years ago - but she couldn't remember why she was here.  
  
"Barbara?"  
  
"Helena..." That wasn't her voice - it sounded so weak. She tried again. "Helena...What...? Where...?" Barbara grew frustrated as the words wouldn't come. As dazed and confused as she felt, she realized that she must have suffered a head injury.  
  
Relief washed over Helena when Barbara whispered her name. She had recognized her. That was good, but she still looked pretty confused.  
  
"You're in New Gotham Memorial Hospital. You were attacked at the school. Dinah found you. Do you remember?"  
  
Barbara stared at Helena. She'd heard the explanation, but found that she couldn't remember having been attacked.  
  
"No...I...I don't remember."  
  
Damn! Helena thought. "Try, Barbara. You went to work yesterday morning. What happened when you got there?"  
  
Barbara searched her memory. She must have suffered a head injury of some kind - thinking hurt.  
  
"I stopped by Wade's classroom to ask if he wanted to get some breakfast, but he wasn't there. I ran into Mrs. Lirza and we got into a discussion about the new curriculum.... After that, I went to the department meeting, which lasted about an hour....When I finally got to my classroom, I decided to lock myself in, so I could spend some time working on paperwork uninterrupted...."  
  
C'mon, Barbara, you have to remember. Who did this to you?! It took every ounce of patience Helena had to keep her voice steady, "What happened then?"  
  
"I...I...closed the door...went to the desk and..." She gaped at Helena, suddenly remembering, "...someone was there, just beyond the doorway - just out of sight. I just barely caught a glimpse of his shape in my peripheral vision. I started to turn my head toward him and...and...I...I...don't remember."  
  
Helena forced herself to conceal the frustration she felt at having gotten so close to finding out the identity of Barbara's attacker. She made one more effort to coax the information from Barbara.  
  
"You said 'him'. How did you know it was a man?"  
  
"I...I don't know. I said 'him', but it could just as easily been a woman. I didn't see the person's face." Disappointment competed with anger for control of Barbara's bruised features.  
  
"It's okay, Barbara. Don't push yourself too hard. Right now, you need to rest. Go back to sleep."  
  
"You said Dinah found me. Is she okay?"  
  
"She was a bit freaked out. I sent her home with Alfred. She'll probably be back in a few hours."  
  
Barbara frowned. Her brain may not be working as fast as normal, but she had done the math. She had been attacked sometime during the day. Helena had sent Dinah home. It was dark in the room and the hallway beyond.  
  
"How long have you been here, guarding me?"  
  
"Oh, a couple of hours, or so."  
  
"Right. You've been here all night, haven't you?"  
  
Helena flashed her a sheepish grin - the kind she used to get every time she caught Helena ditching school. "It's no big deal. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."  
  
"You could have gotten your detective-friend to post a cop at the door."  
  
Helena glanced away, intending to ignore the comment. Then, thinking better of it, she locked her eyes with Barbara's.  
  
"I needed to know you were safe. The only way I could be sure was to guard you myself. I couldn't trust your safety to anyone else." There, she'd said it. It was as close as she could come to admitting how much she cared for Barbara - while she was conscious anyway.  
  
"Promise me that you'll get some rest as soon as Dinah gets here," Barbara said, as sternly as she could manage. She couldn't quite get past that lump in her throat that had magically appeared after Helena's last statement. She knew it was hard for Helena to admit her feelings - even to herself. Barbara knew that Helena cared as much for her as she did for Helena. It was just nice sometimes to hear her say it.  
  
"I promise," Helena responded, impatiently. "Now get some rest, okay?" With that, Helena retired to the far corner of the room to watch as Barbara slept. ----- Helena had to quietly slip out of the room once the shift change began. Too many people roaming in and out of the room. Especially now that they knew Barbara was conscious. She hid in a storage room across the hall and watched Barbara's room from there. Meanwhile, she used the comms to quickly let Dinah know that Barbara was conscious. Knowing that she couldn't stay hidden in the storage closet for long, Helena decided to take a gamble. Waiting until she was sure that no one would see her exit the closet, she strode purposefully toward the Nurse's Station.  
  
"My name is Helena Kyle. I'm here to find out about Barbara Gordon's condition."  
  
The nurse peered at Helena over her reading glasses. "And you are...?"  
  
"She used to be my guardian. Now we're...close friends." ----- Dinah arrived a mere fifteen minutes after Helena called.  
  
"You were speeding," Helena chided.  
  
"Can you blame me? How is she?"  
  
"She's conscious. She remembers everything up to the attack, but she doesn't remember the attacker." Helena's trick had worked. The nurse refused to divulge any information until the doctor had examined Barbara, but at least they weren't trying to kick her out. "The doctor is supposed to be coming to check her out. The nurse thinks I just walked in, so act surprised when she tells you that Barbara's awake."  
  
"Cool. So she doesn't remember what happened?"  
  
"No, but something she did remember has been bothering me. Barbara locks her classroom door every time she leaves. She said that when she got to the school, she didn't get to go to the classroom until later that morning. That means that the door was still locked when she got there. She relocked the door to give her some privacy. She said that whoever had attacked her had been waiting for her. They would have had to have keys to get into the classroom and lock the door behind them, right?"  
  
Dinah absorbed the information that Helena was relating and realized that she was right, unless..."What if the attacker was a metahuman? Maybe they could get into the room without keys somehow."  
  
Helena's face fell. She hadn't thought about that. Damn! That was my one solid lead! Now what?!  
  
Dinah, sensing Helena's frustration, laid a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, we'll get this creep. At least Barbara's okay."  
  
"Yeah, but..."  
  
"Hey! Dinah! Helena!"  
  
They both turned to see Barbara's boyfriend Wade walking towards them, concern on his face.  
  
"I walked in to school today and they told me Barbara had been attacked. I can't believe this happened! I take one day off and... Is she okay?"  
  
Helena let Dinah explain what had happened to Wade. Meanwhile, she went over her conversation with Barbara and what little Dinah knew about the attack. She just couldn't help feeling that whoever had attacked Barbara was somehow tied to the school. She didn't know why, but the idea kept nagging at her. Helena was certain that the answer would be found there. As soon as the nurse let them in to see Barbara, Helena would go check out the school. Barbara would be safe with Dinah. And Wade. Alfred would probably show up, too. And if I don't get some sleep, I'll be useless. Besides having to hear one of Barbara's lectures. She smiled to herself. It wouldn't be so bad to hear one of those lectures, would it? she thought. -----TO BE CONTINUED----- . 


	5. Part 5

Weeks had passed since Barbara Gordon was attacked. She was spending most of her time recuperating at the Clocktower, which meant being hovered over by Helena, Dinah, and Alfred. The rest of the time she spent in therapy or at her apartment, which meant being hovered over by Wade. Never having been one to want - or admit to needing - help, Barbara found her time in recuperation to be most frustrating. As Wade doted on her and tried to fulfill her every need, she couldn't help but remember the conversation they had had shortly after the first time they made love. He had told her that when he looked at her, all he could think of was how much he wanted to take care of her. Oh, how she had blanched at the thought. She had discussed the statement with Helena later, and Helena had laughed it off, saying that Barbara should be happy that Wade hadn't relegated her to one-night-stand status. After all, he hadn't turned over and asked her for her name, right? Still, Barbara had always been the independent sort and she wasn't prepared to change any time soon. Which meant, every time Wade, Alfred, or the girls tried to help her with something, she usually snapped their heads off. Alfred was probably used to it by now, but the others.well, they were all certainly very understanding, which for some reason pissed Barbara off even more. Wade had just left and Barbara was headed to the lair. While not exactly ready to head back to work at New Gotham High School, she was making a slow attempt at getting back to her night job as Oracle. Alfred greeted her at the elevator. "Good morning, Miss Barbara! You're looking rather annoyed. Shall I prepare the usual breakfast?" "Just some tea would be fine, Alfred," Barbara replied as she steered her wheelchair toward the Delphi Monitor system. "Ah, yes. The usual. I suppose I should bring it in a plastic cup this morning. I would hate to lose any of the good China once Miss Dinah informs you that she already checked the Delphi Monitor this morning." Barbara sighed. She couldn't help but smile, though. She knew Alfred was only half kidding after yesterday's flying donut incident. Dinah had checked the Delphi Monitor for Barbara before she had arrived, prompting Barbara to launch into a tirade about not being helpless. Before she had even realized it, she was grabbing a donut from the table in front of Dinah and tossing it across the room. It hit the wall at the precise moment that Helena made her entrance. Glancing at the donut as it slid down the wall, leaving chocolate icing in its path, she had given Barbara a mischievous grin commenting that it was a smart idea to make Dinah use donuts instead of Bat-a-rangs for practice. Just thinking about the incident made Barbara chuckle. Yes, she had been acting like an ass yesterday. All anyone was trying to do was help her get back on her feet - so to speak. She made a mental note to bite her tongue today - and to keep away from any bakery items. "'Morning, Barbara. How's Wade? Did he sleep well last night?" Helena was coming from the practice room drenched in sweat, which meant another early work out. For days, Helena had been coming by and training Dinah in combat techniques, taking over where Barbara had left off before she had been attacked. Dinah soon followed her, giggling at the implications of Helena's question. "How would I know?" Barbara said, trying to cover the blush rapidly rising on her cheeks. "Oh, c'mon now. We're all adults here. Well," glancing at Dinah, "most of us are anyway." That prompted an elbow to the ribs from Dinah. Barbara watched the two of them as they sat down to eat the breakfast Alfred had prepared for them. They had certainly become a lot closer these past weeks - hanging out together, practicing together. Helena had even invited Dinah to come hang out at the club with her the other night. Although Barbara thought it was nice to see them finally getting along better, she couldn't help but think that the change had come about as a direct result of the attack. They'd all been through changes since that night. Alfred had confided that Dinah had had trouble sleeping in the days following the attack. Barbara was also having trouble sleeping, plagued by dreams about the unknown attacker. But the most obvious change was the one in Helena. She had been to the hospital every day to visit Barbara until she was released, and Barbara had first noticed the change there. Helena was more subdued than usual, less confrontational. Every once in a while, Barbara would notice Helena watching her, an intense look on her face. It was as if she thought that Barbara might disappear if she stopped watching for an instant. We really haven't talked about how this has affected her, Barbara thought. But how to broach the subject without bringing out the old defensive Helena was a bit beyond her at the moment. Besides, she had the feeling that Dinah might be helping her on that score. Lately, she'd often catch the two of them speaking with each other in hushed tones, always stopping before she could get within earshot. Whenever she would ask what they were talking about, Helena would brush it off and change the subject, something she usually did when she was uncomfortable with the subject matter. "So, what's on the agenda for today," Barbara asked. "I'm going to work and Dinah's going to school. What's ever on the agenda during a school week?" Helena quipped. "Dinah cutting school and you skipping work." Barbara gave them both a knowing look, then burst out laughing. "Oh, she's in a playful mood today. What, no donuts to throw?" Dinah feigned ducking behind Helena and laughed. "Very funny. Aren't you two running late?" "She's right you know." Helena slid her chair away from the table. "Besides, I have to change before work. See ya' later, Barbara. C'mon, kid, let's go." "I'll see you after school, Barbara." Dinah picked up her books and headed toward the elevator behind Helena. "Have fun you two," Barbara called after them. As soon as they were out of the building, Dinah turned to Helena. "So, are you gonna go see Reese today?" "Definitely! It was bad enough that the cops couldn't find anything on Barbara's attacker, but now they've just stopped looking. I need to know what's going on!"  
  
New Gotham Police Detective Jesse Reese was just getting out of his car when he had the distinct impression that he was being watched. He spun around. "Huntress. Who else?" he muttered to himself. "Why? Were you expecting someone else, Detective?" "No, but most of the people I know don't delight in sneaking up and scaring the hell out of me," Jesse quipped. "So, what's new on the Barbara Gordon case?" Huntress asked, folding her arms. "This is the third time you've asked that question. What is it with you and this case?" Reese arched an eyebrow. "Is the former Commissioner's daughter a friend of yours?" Huntress' laugh was without mirth. "Hardly. I can barely get along with you. You expect me to be friendly with the top brass' kids?" "She's his only daughter, and, no, I guess not. But why are you so interested in this one?" "Let's just say that I'm interested in cases that involve a woman being attacked in her own classroom, behind a locked door, no witnesses, the perp leaves and the door's still locked, no evidence, no leads, and no suspects. Okay?" Huntress gave Reese that no nonsense stare of hers that warned him not to ask too many questions. "Well, the case is pretty cold right now. Besides, I don't know if you realize this, but there are other crimes occurring in this city every day that need to be investigated." "Oh, c'mon, Reese. You said it yourself. This is the daughter of the former Commissioner. I would think it was top priority!" Jesse arched his eyebrow again at her tone. This case was definitely important to Huntress somehow. The question was, why? "Look, we've had a rash of murders of late. My guys are spread pretty thin right now." "A murder spree? In New Gotham? Oh, that's new." Huntress' voice was dripping sarcasm. "Yeah, well, normally I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, hell, there's a lot of crime in this city. But this time.Well, the killings are so close together, yet so randomly done. The victims are beaten and bludgeoned to death. But none of them have anything in common, except that and the fact that they live in New Gotham. No clues. No suspects. No witnesses. Looks like the same perp on each, but we can't really be sure, because there's no evidence." Huntress growled in frustration. For someone who was bright enough to elevate to the position of detective, sometimes Reese could be incredibly dense. "Did it ever occur to you, Detective, that these murders might have something to do with the attack on Barbara Gordon. They all have the same M.O." "Barbara Gordon is alive," Reese interrupted. "So maybe SHE was the only survivor. Maybe she was the perp's first and he got sloppy. Who knows? But I think it's worth checking into, don't you?" "Okay, okay. I'll check into it." He turned to walk toward the precinct. "Look, if you could just tell me why you are so interested in this case." He turned and realized that he was talking to himself. Detective Jesse Reese sighed. Huntress was definitely a mystery to him. He wished he knew why she was so attached to this case. There had to be a connection between her and Barbara Gordon somehow, but what? He shrugged. Whatever the connection, it would have to wait. The bodies kept on piling up with no end in site. Maybe Huntress was right. Maybe there was a connection between the murders and the attack on Gordon. He'd have to check that angle out, but he was not optimistic about the outcome.  
  
God,he can be exasperating sometimes! Helena thought as she stepped into her apartment above the Dark Horse Bar. She sank down on the bed and thought about what she had learned from Reese. A murder spree. Dinah had said that there seemed to be a lot of activity in New Gotham of late and Barbara had agreed. Helena had no idea how much activity though. She wasn't really that kind of crime fighter. She excelled in the stealth and combat parts of her job. In that way, she was a lot like the Batgirl of old. Dinah was more like today's Oracle - wowed by computers and eager to learn. Technology just wasn't Helena's cup of tea. It bothered her, however, that her lack of computer savvy had kept her from realizing all of the activity she was missing. She was surprised that Barbara hadn't said anything. Then again, she had made Helena promise that she wouldn't go on patrols until Barbara could watch her back as Oracle. Barbara was not going to be happy to find out that Helena had kept her promise about patrolling, but was actually doing some stealthy detective work around the school and police station, in an effort to discover Barbara's attacker. When Helena had voiced her frustrations about hoe the New Gotham Police were handling the case, Barbara asked her to give them some slack and let them do their jobs. That wasn't exactly like Barbara, and Helena worried that maybe this attack had changed her in a way that Joker's bullet hadn't. She was still a fighter - that much was evident in the fact that she had not only survived the attack, but that she was recovering fairly quickly. What bothered Helena was that the always work- conscientious, always vigilant, always itching-to-fight-crime attitude that Barbara had possessed for as long as Helena had known her, seemed to be a bit toned-down of late. Helena decided to get Barbara back into the game again tonight. She'd tell her about her conversation with Reese, conveniently leaving out the parts which mentioned Barbara, and see if she could get Barbara's crime fighting juices flowing again. Helena hadn't really thought that the murder spree had anything to do with the attack on Barbara, but she couldn't stand the idea of her case being put on the back burner. She knew it was selfish, but if the idea Helena had sprouted in Reese's mind helped the New Gotham Police pay a little more attention to Barbara's case, so much the better. Helena looked at the clock beside the bed and realized she had only an hour to shower and change clothes before her shift began. Not even enough time for a quick nap. Sighing, she reluctantly stood and headed toward the shower, thinking of how she was going to convince Barbara to investigate these recent murders. Hopefully, it wouldn't take much convincing. Helena needed a good night of ass-kicking to release some of the pent-up anger she still felt at not being able to prevent what had happened to Barbara. Sparring with Dinah wasn't good enough. She couldn't go all out in those fights. After all, she was trying to help train her, not put her in the hospital. Laughing a little at the thought, Helena slipped under the showerhead and let the steaming hot water wash away her worries.  
  
"So, how was your day today?" Helena asked as she stepped out of the elevator. Dinah glanced up from her homework. It only took one look for Dinah to tell that Helena was up to something. She looked toward Barbara and saw the wary expression on her face as she answered. "Uneventful." "Great! So I guess you're ready to quit your days of boredom and get down to some exciting crime fighting!" Seeing Barbara's expression, Helena decided to press on before she could reply. If she was going to get Barbara back on track, she was going to have to dangle a little bait. "You see, I ran into Detective Reese on the way to work." "You just happened to run into him?" Without stopping to acknowledge the skepticism in Barbara's voice, Helena continued, ".and he told me that there's been this really bizarre run of murders lately. He says that they seem random, but they all have the same M.O. The thing he can't seem to figure out is what ties each victim to the other." Helena secretly smiled to herself as she watched Barbara's expression change from one of wariness to one of interest. She was hooked - the old Barbara was slowly returning. Now it was time to take the plunge. "I figured that this would be a great way to make a return to crime fighting. What do you think? Feel up to it?" Dinah watched Barbara and grinned. She knew that Barbara had seen the reports about the murders. Dinah had read them herself on the Delphi Monitor. But none of the reports had even suggested a link to the others. Now, the old distracted look had returned to Barbara's face as she pieced together the information she had read on the Delphi Monitor with what Helena was now telling her. "I wonder." Both girls rejoiced as Barbara steered her wheelchair toward the banks of computers they had secretly dubbed Oracle's Realm. She would never admit it to either of them, but as she typed away at one of the keyboards, Barbara secretly rejoiced at returning to her passion. After about an hour, Barbara looked up triumphant. "Okay, I think I have something!" 


	6. Part 6

Helena and Dinah crowded around Barbara and her bank of computers as she explained the link between the numerous seemingly unrelated murders occurring in New Gotham within the past couple of weeks. "You see," Barbara began in an excited voice, "the third murder victim was a retired court officer. And the sixth was a reporter for the Gotham Times. The eighth worked as a clerk for Judge Barcrow for about a year. Thinking that these people were the most likely of the victims to have crossed paths, I ran a check through Gotham court records, old newspaper articles,." "Barbara!" Helena exclaimed in an exasperated tone. "What did you find out?" Sighing, Barbara explained, "All of the victims were involved, in one way or another, with a court case that dates back to before either of you were born. Judge Barcrow presided over the case, the third victim was the court officer working the trial, and the reporter covered the trial. The other victims were all members of the jury." Pulling up news articles about the case, Barbara continued, "The case wasn't exactly high profile, but it did attract some media attention." "Wait!" exclaimed Dinah, pointing to a line in one of the articles. "Does that say Jim Gordon?" "Yes, apparently Dad had a hand in bringing Jeff Worther to justice. Mr. Worther had committed a series of thefts, his last one resulting in the death of a museum curator. Worther professed his innocence throughout the trial, but all of the evidence pointed to his guilt. He was convicted and sent to prison." Helena stood staring at the computer screen, lost in thought, her right hand cupping her chin, the forefinger abstractedly taping her cheek. She could hardly believe that her ploy to get Reese to keep investigating Barbara's case was actually turning out to be a valid connection. "Barbara, your father brought this guy to justice, and everyone involved with the case is ending up dead. See the link here?" "Yeah, but one: My Dad brought him to justice, not me - all of the others had a direct hand in the case. Two: All of the other victims are dead." "Yeah, well, it's still too much of a coincidence to ignore. So, how long ago did this guy get out of prison." Barbara's hands were a flurry of activity as she searched databases looking for the answer to Helena's question. The answer was a bit surprising. "He didn't get out. According to the prison records, he died in prison. About two years into his sentence, he was shanked by another prisoner." Dinah exchanged confused looks with Helena and Barbara. "So, if Worther is dead, who's attacking the people who sent him to prison, and why?" Barbara turned back to the computer banks. "I'll have to do more research. The only thing I know for certain is that there are only two other people directly related to the case left. One is a former court reporter. The other was one of the jurors." "Three," Helena corrected. "Like you said, you're still alive." "Yeah, well, I think I'll be safe here. You two will have to split up to protect the other two potential victims." Barbara pulled up photos of the other two victims and printed them, along with their current addresses. "We're on it." Helena and Dinah headed toward the elevator, Dinah pausing to pick up car keys and a two-way communicator. "Be careful, " Barbara admonished as she began tapping computer keys at a furious pace. "And stay in constant contact, okay? I'll keep working on finding out who was close enough to Worther to make them want to exact revenge."  
  
"Okay, my potential vic is fairly boring. How's Dinah doing?" For the past hour, Huntress had been perched on the sixth floor ledge of an apartment building, staring into a window in the apartment building across the way. Inside was Carrie Bailey, the former juror, who had just spent the past hour sitting in an easy chair reading a novel. She had only moved once to go to the kitchen for a cup of tea. "Dinah says she's equally bored. It seems that Simon Crawford is a seventy-year-old retiree who enjoys falling asleep on the couch while watching Court TV." Huntress chuckled. At least she wasn't the only one bored to tears. "So, how goes the search for our perp?" "Running pretty cold actually. He had no visitors in prison. Not one person came to see him the entire time he was there. He had a sister that lived in Bludhaven, but she died about three years after the trial. I'll keep looking though." "Wait. My girl's moving. Damn, someone must be at the door. Gotta go." Huntress jumped from her ledge to the ledge on the adjacent building, just as Carrie Bailey opened the door. There was a blur of movement at the door and Bailey tipped backwards, slamming into the coat rack to the left of the door. Huntress was in the apartment two seconds later, as the unwanted visitor pounced on his victim. The perp, clad in black clothing and wearing a wide-brimmed black hat over a black facemask, wrapped his hands around Bailey's throat in a vice-like grip. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear the lady invite you to come in." Startled, the attacker's head shot up, just in time to receive a kick to the face from Huntress, sending him sprawling in the hallway just outside the apartment. He wasn't on the floor long. A handspring later, the black-clad perp was up and running toward an open window at the end of the hallway. He jumped out the window. "Love this guy's outfit," Huntress' voice dripped with sarcasm. "Thinks he's Zorro or something." She hurried toward the window, which conveniently lead to a fire escape. But there was no sign of the attacker. "What the hell?!" "Huntress!" came Oracle's concern-edged voice. "What's going on?" "Well, our guy showed up to party, then disappeared when things got too hot. He seems to have disappeared. I don't see him anywhere on the street. I'm gonna head up to the roof."  
  
This was just too good! He had waited until 11PM to attack Carrie Bailey, one of the last people on his to-kill list. He'd never expected to have a problem with this one. She was a loner, a bookworm who had never seen the inside of a gym. This one was gonna be easy, he'd thought. That is, until he finally got his hands on her puny throat and was unpleasantly interrupted by that bitch. He'd jumped out the window, simultaneously shooting a grappling hook toward an open window on the seventh floor to the right. The motorized winch attached to his wrist shot him up and he was inside the apartment in a matter of seconds. She was fast, he thought, but not fast enough. He snuck a peak out the window and watched as she jumped from the outer edge of the fire escape ladder to the roof above - a five-floor jump. She's meta-human, he thought. Perfect! He had something for her. He still couldn't believe his fortune. This was Helena Kyle. Barbara Gordon was once her guardian. And he owed Gordon! His father had been a low-level crook, a small-time burglar, content with knocking over liquor stores and gas stations for a quick buck. That all changed when his son Wade was born. The mother, a Gotham City streetwalker, died shortly after he was born, leaving Jeff Worther with a decision to make - what to do with his son. Worther sent his son to live with sister in Bludhaven, while he found a way to make some money to help raise him. Having little education and close to no skills, Worther found that he made more money knocking over gas stations than he would working in one. He decided to set his sights higher. Bigger heists meant more money. So, Worther decided to hit museums, banks, and art galleries. Anything for his boy. Every week, he'd come to his sister's house in Bludhaven, showering Wade with gifts and giving his sister money to ensure that Wade had all he ever wanted. This went on for 6 years, until that fateful night in the museum. Nobody was supposed to be there. It was supposed to be a simple heist. And it was. He was in and out with the goods in a matter of minutes. But the next day, a guard had found the curator of the museum in his office lying in a pool of blood. Somehow the police managed to tie the burglary with Jeff Worther, and Commissioner Gordon, a long-time friend of the museum curator, made it his mission to bring Worther to justice. Jeff Worther was sentenced to prison, largely thanks to Commissioner Gordon's drummed up evidence. Wade's aunt had told him that the evidence against his father was all fabricated - that James Gordon was out to destroy Wade's father. Well, he got his wish, Wade thought. Two years later, his father was murdered. In Wade's mind, it might as well have been Commissioner Gordon who shoved that shank five inches deep into his father's side. He vowed to make the people responsible for his father's death pay. A year later, his aunt died, and Wade was placed in a foster home. He was adopted by the Brixtons, an upper-class family who showered Wade with affection. They, too, wanted to give Wade everything he could ever want. And they had the money to do it. He was happy with them, but he never forgot his vow to avenge his father. Wade went to the finest schools and majored in studies that would most benefit his plans of revenge. He planned and prepared for years. Then he moved to New Gotham, but found that he was too late to carry out his revenge on James Gordon. So, he found work at New Gotham High School and made it his business to get close to Barbara Gordon. He'd gotten so close to her in fact, that no one had suspected him, the doting boyfriend, in her attack. He had been incensed that she had survived the attack, but he figured that he could complete the job later. Learning from his unsuccessful attack on Barbara Gordon, he intensified his attacks on the others on his list, ensuring that they wouldn't survive. Now, Helena Kyle was hot on his trail. Well, Helena Kyle was the closest thing to family that Barbara Gordon had left. Barbara wasn't the Gordon that had sent his father to prison and, ultimately to his death, but to Wade, any Gordon would do. Now, Barbara would learn what it felt like to lose someone close to her, someone she loved. He knew how to handle meta-humans. He'd dealt with them before. The man who had killed his father was a meta-human. All he had to do was equalize the playing field.  
  
Well, he thought, no better time than the present. Wade climbed back out the window, reattaching the grappling hook to the window ledge, and reversing the winch to allow him to lower himself the seven stories to the ground below. Once his feet hit the ground, he looked up at the roof. "Hey! You up there!" Huntress peered over the roof's edge at the ground below. "Looking for me?" "Do you believe this guy?!" Huntress said incredulously. "You want me?! Ya' gotta catch me first!" Wade took off, running down the street. Huntress launched herself off the roof. "Huntress, be careful," Oracle cautioned, "this sounds like a trap." "Quit worrying, will you? I'm always careful," Huntress said as she headed off down the street after him. "Well, if I wasn't worried before." "Very funny." The chase led her into a dark alley. A dead end from what she could see. Her prey stopped short just in front of the wall at the other end of the alley. He spun around to face her. "Oops. Guess you picked the wrong alley to run in to." Huntress readied for an attack. Her prey didn't disappoint her. In fact, he surprised her by shooting a mini-grappling hook at her. She had just enough time to bend backwards and out of the way, as the hook buried itself in a streetlight pole outside the alley. Huntress grabbed the ultra-thin cable attached to the hook and pulled, hurling her prey towards her. He pressed the release button on his wrist and tucked and rolled, shooting up with a double-fisted attack at Huntress' mid-section. They both sprawled to the floor. Huntress grabbed at her adversary's mask as he hurried to put some space between himself and his foe. The mask tore away, and as he backed into the far wall, Wade did little to conceal his features from her. "YOU! I don't believe it! How COULD you?!" "Huntress, what is it? What's wrong?" Oracle's concerned voice echoed through her ears as Huntress gaped at Wade Brixton, Barabara's boyfriend. Barbara. She'd forgotten that the comms were on. She couldn't tell her, not yet anyway. "Not now, Oracle," she yelled as she launched her attack. Wade sidestepped, bringing his left hand around in a sweeping motion. A dart flew from a wrist gun, catching Huntress in the right shoulder. It was a tiny dart, the impact barely registered by Huntress as she prepared for a second attack. Wade was now backing toward the alley's entrance. She couldn't let him get away, but she suddenly felt dizzy. She launched her attack anyway, striking Wade square in the chin, knocking him off of his feet and sending him sliding a couple of feet. He rose and counter-attacked, and that was when Huntress knew she was in trouble. She was having trouble fending off the flurry of punches and kicks, and was having even more trouble launching an attack of her own. Her strength seemed to be ebbing away. Wade knew it was just a matter of time now. She wouldn't be able to fight him much longer. Then, he could take his time with her. Savor his revenge. Once he was done, and his handiwork discovered, he'd race to Barbara's side, the ever-reliable boyfriend, to comfort her in her time of grief. He laughed aloud.  
  
"Huntress! Huntress, come in!" She could hear the sounds of battle as Huntress fought her adversary. But Huntress' breathing was becoming labored. She was tiring rapidly and that wasn't like her. "Dinah, come in!" "I'm here, Oracle. What's wrong?" "It's Huntress. I think she may be in trouble. Head toward the corner of Adams and Reede while I try to calculate her exact location." "On the way!" As Dinah raced toward the Hummer, a feeling of dread spread within her. She hadn't been doing this long. Hadn't even been in combat yet with a real criminal. If Huntress was having trouble with this guy, what was she going to do?  
  
Huntress tried to fight off the drug that Wade had shot her with, but she wasn't exactly successful. Meanwhile, Wade reached into his trench coat and drew out a knife, laughing. "Finally, I'll have my revenge on Gordon. A shame that I couldn't take it out on the Commissioner himself, but as they say, 'We can't always get what we want.' He rushed toward Huntress. She blocked his thrust at her face, deflecting his it to the right and thrusting her knee into his kidney for good measure. He went down on one knee, then spun around, sweeping Huntress' legs out from under her. As she struggled to her feet and took a step toward him, Wade jammed the knife's blade deep into Huntress' midsection, then quickly backed away.  
  
Oracle worked at a feverish pace to track Huntress' comm unit, all the while listening to the battle. The man Huntress was fighting mentioned her father's name, but she barely registered the fact. It was Huntress' anguished cry that got her attention. Something had definitely gone wrong.  
  
"Dinah!" "I'm almost there, Oracle." "The closest I can get to her location is an alley two buildings from the corner of Adams and Madison." "I'm there!" Dinah brought the Hummer to a screeching halt and jumped out of the vehicle.  
  
Wade beamed with satisfaction as he admired his handiwork. Huntress stood staring at him for just a moment, then looked down at the knife protruding from her stomach. She sank to her knees, a shocked look coming over her features. "Huntress!" Dinah had just rounded the corner of the alley as Huntress fell backwards to the ground. Dinah forced the yearning to run to her friend away as she turned toward the attacker, who was making his way toward the fallen Huntress. She gasped in shock as she recognized the man, then raised her hands in the battle stance that Huntress had shown her. "Get away from her!" she yelled, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. Wade recognized the blonde instantly and marveled at his good fortune. Two for the price of one, he thought. He wondered if she, too, were a meta- human. No matter. She looked like she was going to put up a fight, and frankly, he was tired and wanted to finish this one quickly. He put up his hands in mock surrender and walked towards Dinah. Huntress watched from her prone position and realized what Wade was planning. She cursed silently as she realized she was helpless to stop him. She grasped the handle of the knife he'd impaled her with. Well, almost helpless, she thought. As Wade closed the distance between himself and Dinah, he shot out his left hand. "No!" Huntress screamed, as she yanked the knife from her midsection and hurled it at Wade it one smooth motion. Wade stumbled as the knife struck him in the center of his back, throwing off his aim. The dart swept past Dinah, missing her cheek by an inch as it buried itself in the brick wall behind her. An angry, frustrated groan escaped Wade's lips as he sank to the floor. Huntress had just enough time to see him fall before she lost consciousness. 


	7. Part 7

"God.Huntress.Huntress, can you hear me?" Dinah was kneeling over the unconscious form of Huntress, trying to staunch the blood pouring from the wound left by Wade's knife. Huntress' eyes fluttered. "Dinah! Talk to me!" Oracle hated this part of the job. Someday, I'll convince them to wear mini-cams. At least then I can see what's happening! "Huntress is hurt.it's bad.I-I can't stop the bleeding." Dinah sounded frantic and Barbara's pulse started to race. Helena! Struggling to force down the rising panic, Barbara asked, "Is she conscious?" "No.wait.Huntress?" Huntress moaned as she struggled to regain consciousness. She could hear Dinah's voice calling her name, but she sounded so far away. Huntress' eyelids fluttered open. Everything was out of focus. "Huntress, can you hear me?" Dinah repeated. "Yeah," came the whispered reply. "You.you okay?" Dinah shook her head in amazement. She's worried about me? "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to you. Look, we have to get you back to the Clocktower.Huntress?" Huntress' eyes had started to droop, but they snapped open again. "Okay, I'm gonna bring the Hummer closer to the alleyway. I'll be right back." Dinah ran for the alley entrance. As she passed Wade, she paused long enough to look down at his out-stretched left arm. Attached to the wrist was a wrist gun filled with what looked like the same sort of dart that she had just dodged moments ago. On impulse, she removed the wrist gun, taking it with her to the Hummer. Seconds later, she was running back into the alley. Huntress had passed out again. Dinah knelt beside her. "Huntress." Helena's eyes fluttered open. "Okay, Huntress, I'm gonna need some help here." Dinah helped Huntress to a sitting position and put her right arm over her shoulder. As she lifted, Dinah could feel Huntress tense with pain. Dinah half-walked, half-carried Huntress to the Hummer. Huntress made a valiant effort to do most of the walking herself, but toward the end, she started to falter. "Dinah." her voice trailed off as she started to loose her footing. Dinah caught Huntress around the middle with her right arm. "Easy, Huntress. We're almost there." Making it to the Hummer, Huntress half-fell into the passenger seat. She was unconscious before Dinah could close the door. "Oracle, I'm on my way. I'm gonna need help getting Helena to the lair." Oracle's reply sounded wrought with distraction. "Alfred's on it. He'll meet you in the garage. Oracle out." Dinah turned her attention to the road ahead, concentrating on getting Huntress to the Clocktower as fast as possible without getting stopped by New Gotham's Finest.  
  
Alfred and Dinah quickly pushed the gurney carrying an unconscious Huntress down the hall toward the lab. A quick tap at the code pad by Alfred caused the door to slide open, revealing a very nervous Oracle preparing for the worst. "Barbara!" Dinah had never been so relieved to see the woman. "Bring her over here," Barbara said leading the way into another room in the back of the lab. One that Dinah had never had any cause to be in before. For all intents and purposes, the room looked like a mini hospital emergency room. Dinah helped Alfred move Helena from the gurney to the hospital bed in the center of the room. "Barbara, I- it won't stop bleeding," Dinah had kept it together for Helena's sake, but now tears were streaming down her cheeks as she watched Barbara work on her friend. "Nghh." Helena moaned. Her eyelids fluttered open to focus on Barbara's concerned features. "B-Barbara." Her voice was barely a whisper. Barbara did her best to mask her concern as she worked to remove Helena's blood-soaked top. She'd never seen Helena this badly hurt. Scratches, cuts, bruises and bruised egos were all they'd had to deal with until now. As Helena's eyes fluttered open, Barbara displayed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Helena looked up into her mentor's face and new instantly that something was wrong. She'd never felt this weak before. And Barbara was trying to hide how serious things were - she could tell. She'd seen that look before. The question was, just how serious was it? "Bad, huh?" Barbara shook her head. "No, not too bad," she lied. Dinah was right, no amount of pressure seemed to be slowing the bleeding. "Alfred, hold this." Alfred traded places with Barbara as she headed to the refrigeration unit and extracted a pint of Type O blood. She had hoped they'd never have to dig into the blood supply, but the way things were going, they might have to replenish the supply before they were done. Steering her chair back to the bed, she noticed that Helena had sank back into unconsciousness. Not good, she thought. I have to find some way to stop this bleeding. "Alfred, I need you to hook this up." "Certainly, Miss Barbara." "Dinah, keep pressure on the wound." Barbara steered her wheelchair toward the cabinet on the far wall. She glanced at and moved several bottles until she found the one she was looking for. She prepared a syringe. "What's that?" Dinah said, cringing at the sight of the syringe. "It's a coagulant," she said in clipped tones, all business. Dinah marveled at her calm demeanor. She would have been surprised to know what Barbara was thinking at the moment. This shouldn't be happening. Helena's a quick healer. She's never bled like this. The worst of her injuries bled for about ten minutes, then healed up on it's own. A non-meta would have required ten stitches for the same injury. This had better work. "Dinah, what happened out there?" Dinah flashed on Wade's face and instinctively knew she shouldn't bring his name into this right now. "I'm not sure. All I know is that when I got there, Helena was lying there on the floor with a knife sticking out of her stomach." Absently, Barbara corrected her, "Abdomen. No where near the stomach." "Right.well.the guy that stabbed her turned to fight me and Helena took him out before he could.wait! I have something." Realizing that in the rush to help Huntress, she hadn't even taken her coat off, Dinah reached in her pocket and withdrew Wade's wrist gun. "He tried to shoot me with this. He must have shot Helena with it." "Let me see." Barbara reached for the weapon. "What are these? Tranq-loads?" "What?" "These cartridges are normally used to inject tranquilizers." She headed toward the counter and the microscope. "Well, whatever it is, Helena sure didn't want him to shoot me with it," Dinah said. "Hmmm." Barbara was no longer listening, setting up a slide of the liquid in one of the cartridges for analysis. "Alfred, I need a sample of Helena's blood for analysis." Alfred readily complied with the request. "Do you think this has something to do with why Miss Helena's healing powers haven't kicked in?" "Could be. I've never seen anything like this." Barbara prepared another slide with Helena's blood. After a few seconds, Barbara knew she was right. "Yes, she definitely has this chemical in her blood stream. But what it is and exactly how it's affecting her.I'll have to run it through the computer."  
  
Two hours later, Barbara still hadn't found any answers. Computer analysis didn't tell her anything that would help. What she did find out had her seriously worried. Alfred walked over to the counter where Barbara was hard at work. He set down a cup of tea. "Thought you might be needing this." She looked up gratefully at Alfred. "Thanks." She looked toward Helena. She was still unconscious, but the bleeding had stopped. Alfred had sent Dinah to get cleaned up. Alfred followed her gaze. He, too, was worried. "Have you discovered anything?" He indicated the numerous slides and test tubes on the counter in front of Barbara. Barbara forced herself to look away from Helena. "No.well, yes, but.Take a look at this. She indicated the screen to her left. "This is what Helena's blood normally looks like." She tapped the keys of the keyboard in front of the screen and the view split. Indicating the right portion of the screen, she said, "This is the sample you took before. Do you see the difference?" "Why, yes. I believe I do." "Whatever our attacker shot her with, it's attacking her cells. Mutating them. That's why she wasn't healing on her own. And I'm willing to bet that's why she was so fatigued during the fight." "Can you stop it?" "I'm not sure, Alfred. I've never really seen anything like this before." They both turned as Dinah entered the room and headed toward the bed. "Hey. How is she?" "Still unconscious, I'm afraid," Alfred answered. "Would you like some tea, Miss Dinah?" Dinah pulled a stool over beside the bed and sat down. She was exhausted, but she was too worried about Helena to rest. "Yes, Alfred, thanks." As Alfred stepped out of the room, Dinah looked at Helena's face and frowned. She brushed some hair off her forehead and paused. "Barbara, she's running a fever." Barbara steered the wheelchair toward the bed. "What?" She touched Helena's cheek with the back of her hand and frowned. Helena was extremely warm to the touch. "Her body's treating this as an infection. Whatever this thing is that he shot her with, it's attacking her cells. The cells are fighting back, the resulting infection." "Causing a fever, " Dinah finished. "So, by 'whatever' I guess it's safe to say that you don't know what it is yet?" "Not really, but I'm working on it. I have to find some way to reverse the effects."  
  
Hours later, Barbara tossed her glasses on the counter in frustration. She'd sent Dinah to bed three hours ago. The young girl had stayed by Helena's bedside, taking care of her as Barbara worked tirelessly with the lab equipment, trying to find some way to reverse the effects of the mystery drug. Barbara had caught Dinah nodding off and the realization hit her that it was early morning. With all that Dinah had been through last night, she should have gotten some sleep long ago. So, now she was alone in the infirmary with Helena, no closer to finding a cure for her condition than she had been when they had brought her here. And her condition was growing rapidly worse. A moan escaped Helena's lips, jarring Barbara out of her thoughts. Helena hadn't been conscious for hours. Barbara quickly steered her wheelchair to Helena's bedside, grabbing a wet cloth from a nearby table as she did. Helena's fever had steadily risen as the hours passed. She was drenched in sweat. As Barbara dabbed her forehead gently, Helena's eyes fluttered open. "Barbara." Barbara had to strain to hear Helena's voice. Alfred quietly entered the room as Barbara strained to hear her protégé's voice. She barely registered his entrance. "I'm here, Helena." "I.I think.Am.I.dying?" she whispered, finally focusing on Barbara's face. Barbara's mouth dropped open. For a moment, all words escaped her as she struggled to find an answer to Helena's question. She leaned forward in her chair. "No, Helena." She placed her hand on Helena's cheek, noting that Helena's temperature had risen even higher than the last time she had checked. There was a sternness in her voice as she said, "No, you're not dying. Do you hear me, Helena? You are not going to die. You'll be okay. Helena?" But Helena had already sank back into unconsciousness. Barbara slumped back in her chair and ran a hand through her hair. As Alfred approached, he noticed tears making their way down Barbara's cheeks. "I don't know what to do, Alfred. Everything I've tried," she waved a hand in frustration, "nothing works!" She leaned forward again to brush a sweaty strand of hair from Helena's face. "I can't help her. He was always so much better at this sort of thing." Barbara looked up at Alfred. "Please, Alfred, I know you have a way to contact him. You have to. Helena's life depends on it." 


	8. Part 8

Barbara rubbed her sore eyes. Hours had passed since she had begged Alfred to call him. But would he come? Barbara just didn't know for sure. Since her impassioned plea, Barbara had parked herself in front of the lab analysis equipment, hoping for a miracle. She turned to look at Helena. Dinah had entered the infirmary about an hour ago. She looked tired, but from the look on her face, Barbara knew there was no way she could convince her to go back to bed. As Barbara watched, the young girl wiped Helena's feverish brow with a cool cloth. She was about to turn back to the analysis equipment when Alfred stepped into the room. "You have a visitor, Miss Barbara." From the look on his face, Barbara knew instantly who that visitor was. And then Alfred stepped out of the doorway, and he walked in - her mentor, Gotham's Dark Knight, Helena's father, Bruce Wayne, AKA: Batman. He was still as handsome and dashing-looking as the last time she had seen him, but something about him had changed. It wasn't the random flecks of gray in his hair. It wasn't the beginnings of crow's feet around his eyes. It was what was in those eyes that had changed. Gone was the fire that burned bright in those eyes at the prospect of bringing a villain to justice. Gone was the pride. It had been replaced by pain. Pain that was acutely evident as Bruce Wayne looked at Barbara in her wheelchair and then at the figure lying unconscious on the bed. It was a pain that had festered and grown over the years, a pain that had consumed him and forced him to leave this place long ago. "Bruce, I." He turned toward the bed. Dinah rose from the stool beside Helena, her eyes glued to the man that had once trained her mentor, sizing him up. Barbara moved her chair along side him as he made his way toward the bed. As he stood there gazing upon his daughter for the first time, Barbara wondered what was going through his mind. He reached out a hand and gently ran the back of one finger down the side of Helena's cheek. "She looks so much like her," he muttered. Then drew his hand away as if stung when Helena suddenly opened her eyes. Their eyes locked for several heartbeats before Helena's eyes slowly closed again. Barbara watched as Bruce Wayne struggled to regain his composure. She hadn't missed the softening of his eyes moments ago. Now, however, Bruce Wayne's features had become business-like as he turned to face Barbara. "Alfred said that the chemical she was injected with is attacking her meta-human cell structure?" Yep, she thought, all business again. "Yes, I've tried everything, but there has to be something I'm missing." "Let's take a look," he said and turned toward the lab equipment. Just then, Helena let out a moan, crying out, "No!" Barbara hurried to the bedside. "Mom! Mom." Helena opened her eyes and struggled to focus on the image before her. It looked like her mother, but she was dead wasn't she? Or was it Barbara? Her vision swam as the faces of the two people she cared most about shimmered and swirled into one another. Barbara looked up at Bruce as his features blanched. Looking back toward Helena, she reached out a hand to caress the delirious girl's cheek. "Shhh. It's alright, Helena." "Mom." she moaned. Barbara continued to caress Helena's cheek with one hand, while taking her hand with the other. "I'm here, Helena. It's okay," she said gently. "Everything's going to be fine. Shhh." Bruce Wayne stared at the interaction between his daughter and his protégé. And in the corner of the room, both Dinah and Alfred watched him. He said nothing until Helena had once again sunk back into unconsciousness. Clearing his throat, he said, "Well, let's get to work."  
  
Dinah sat at Helena's bedside and watched as Barbara and Bruce Wayne worked side by side to find a way to save Helena. It was a race against time, but Wayne seemed as calm as the moment he had stepped into the infirmary. So this is Batman, she thought. This is Gotham's legendary hero. Barbara's mentor. Helena's father. As Dinah watched, she thought back to all of the things Barbara had told her about the man who had trained her. When Barbara had told those stories, there had always been pride in her voice at having been trained by Gotham's best. It was a pride mixed with sorrow at having lost her mentor to his own demons. Now, as she watched, it was hard to read Barbara's emotions at having been reunited with the man she had always held in such high regard. When he had walked into the room, it hadn't been happiness on Barbara's face, but shock, as if she had not expected him to answer Alfred's call. Why wouldn't he? Dinah had thought. Helena IS his daughter, after all. Then, the shock was replaced by something else - a sort of sadness had crept over Barbara's features. From what Dinah could see, the man that had entered the infirmary was a shell of the man Barbara had once known. To Dinah, Bruce Wayne fell somewhat short of the hero-figure Barbara had painted. Perhaps it was as a result of the pain and guilt he felt at the revenge Joker had taken on Selina Kyle and Barbara Gordon. Or maybe he'd been out of the life for too long. Dinah wasn't sure. But she could tell by the look on Barbara's face that Bruce Wayne had changed. What had gotten to Dinah was his reaction upon first setting eyes on Helena - or lack thereof. Dinah knew that Alfred had told Bruce about Helena. It was just something that Alfred wouldn't keep hidden from Bruce Wayne, who was at once his employer and the closest thing that Alfred had to a son. She'd expected something more from him than the brief comment on how much Helena looked like her mother. Then again, what kind of expert am I on family relationships, she thought. Helena moaned, dragging Dinah's attention away from her thoughts for the moment. She gently wiped the sweat from Helena's brow. Her bouts of consciousness were few and far between now, and when she did open her eyes, they were clouded with fever-induced delirium. Dinah was worried. She knew that Barbara had all the faith in the world in Bruce Wayne's abilities, but what if he'd changed too much in the past several years? What if he was incapable of helping Barbara in her search for a cure to this thing?  
  
Barbara was amazed at how quickly things started to fall into place once she had Bruce to assist her. She had known that he could solve this puzzle better than she could. Although she could hold her own in the lab, Bruce had always been better at the scientific side of crime fighting. She was more into the gadgets, the electronics, computers. He could outdo her anytime in the lab. And that was what she had been counting on. From the moment he had sat down at the equipment, he was all business. It was only a matter of moments before he discovered what Barbara had missed. Barbara supposed she would have taken exception to this at any other time, but with Helena's life hanging in the balance, she was extremely relieved. Had she not been so worried about Helena, she might have enjoyed the ease with which they had slipped back into the mentor/protégé relationship they had shared long ago as Batman and Batgirl. But, time was of the essence, and her attention was completely focused on the matter at hand - synthesizing an anti-toxin for Helena. The anti-toxin should be ready soon, she thought, risking a glance in Helena's direction. One look at Helena's pale, fevered features was enough to bring Barbara down off her cloud. They had made incredible progress and were almost done with the anti-toxin, but was it too late? No! She forced the thought from her mind. They would save Helena. And Bruce would finally get to know his daughter. Barbara turned her attention back to the lab equipment.  
  
"Dinah." Dinah blinked her eyes in confusion. One minute she had been watching Barbara and Bruce work on the anti-toxin, and the next she found herself being shaken awake by Barbara. "It's ready," Barbara said, looking over at Bruce. He was holding a syringe filled with a green-hued liquid. As he reached for Helena's arm, her eyes opened and, one again, locked on his. Without a word, Bruce swabbed Helena's arm, found the vein, and injected the anti-toxin. Helena's eyes slid closed. "How long will it take to work?" Dinah asked. "Not sure," was Bruce's clipped reply as he gently swabbed the point of injection. He stood there for a moment, looking down at Helena, his face an unreadable mask. Then, as he turned to leave the infirmary, he said the words none of them wanted to hear. "It may not work at all."  
Bruce Wayne sat at the Delphi computer station, staring at the monitors. He was staring at them, but he didn't see them. Instead, he saw Helena. She looked so much like Selina. Oh, how he had loved her. He would have done almost anything for her. Except give up crime fighting. And in the end, that was what had driven her away. She hadn't wanted to drag Helena into all of that. Selina had even given up her other life as Gotham's notorious Catwoman for Helena. He'd lost her. She'd been killed because of him - an act of revenge. And Helena had been there and had witnessed it all. She had held her mother as she died, her life ebbing out of her with each pulse of blood. And where had he been? At Wayne Manor celebrating Joker's defeat. What his daughter must think of him. He shook his head at the thought. And then there was Barbara. How she had suffered at the hands of Joker because of him. "Master Bruce?" Bruce Wayne looked up at his butler, his friend, his surrogate father. "A penny for your thoughts." "Ah, Alfred.I don't know what to think. I can't help but think that all of this would have been different if I hadn't been so obsessed with stopping Joker." Alfred gave Bruce a stern look. "You had no choice in the matter. Joker had to be stopped. I wish you would stop blaming yourself for all that has happened. You need to move on. It would be nice if you would take this opportunity to get to know your daughter." If she survives, he thought, but left the words unspoken. "I hardly think she wants anything to do with me, Alfred. Besides, Barbara's more of a parent to her than I can ever be. I wouldn't know what to do." He thought back to when Helena had moaned and Barbara had rushed to her side. How she had called out for her mother and Barbara had answered her without hesitation. "No, Alfred, I could never be that girl's father. I'm not built for it and she definitely wouldn't want it." Or deserve it, he thought.  
Barbara was once again parked beside Helena's bedside. She'd sent Dinah back to bed, despite protests that she was not tired. Dinah tried to argue that it was Barbara who was exhausted and needed rest, but in the end, she knew she wasn't going to win that argument. Barbara was determined to stay with Helena now that the anti-toxin had been injected. She told Dinah that she wanted to be there in case the anti-toxin had an adverse effect on Helena. But there was more to it than that. It may not work at all. Bruce's words kept echoing in her head. Bruce had left the infirmary and headed for another part of the Clocktower. Barbara assumed that Alfred, always so protective of Bruce, was with him. Bruce had changed so much. After all of the years she had known him, she found she didn't know anything at all. He'd put up an impenetrable wall, hiding his emotions from her and the rest of the world. She knew how he should be feeling at seeing his daughter for the first time, but he was going out of his way to keep those feelings bottled up. At least she hoped that was the case. She couldn't bring herself to believe that he'd grown that cold over the years.  
  
It may not work at all. Barbara closed her eyes as the words ran through her mind. Damn him for that! She had known that the anti-toxin might not work, but his saying it out loud somehow drove the point home. Helena's chances at survival were slim to none. That was shy she had been so adamant about staying with Helena at this point. She needed to be here, in case. She shoved the thought from her mind. No, Helena's too strong to go without a fight. But a look at Helena told her that this was one fight in which Huntress might not come out the victor. What made it worse was that Barbara knew she was to blame. Helena had been so lost, so angry, so out of control, when she had come to her. Barbara gave her guidance in the best way she knew how - by providing her an outlet for that anger. She had sensed her potential, had seen her budding powers. It was what was done when you were in the life. If you found others with the potential to become crime fighters, you trained them. But with Helena, it was more than that. The two shared a bond - a mutual pain. A sense of loss so profound that it threatened to destroy them. For Helena, it was her mother. For Barbara, it was her legs. The road had been rocky, but in the end, the benefits were mutual. Helena had needed guidance. She had needed a reason to believe that life was worth something. And, Barbara begrudgingly admitted to herself, so had I. Helena had given her that sense of worth. No, she would never be Batgirl again, would never race across rooftops to save the innocent from the criminals. But she could help save this one girl from the evil that Joker had done. She could help save Helena from herself, and in doing so, Barbara herself was saved. And in the process, I may have sent her to her death. The thought sent fresh tears coursing down Barbara's cheeks. Helena had always said that she hadn't wanted to become a crime fighter. Barbara knew that there was some truth to what she said. Helena wanted to smash things up. Barbara had convinced her that fighting crime was a better way. She could do something constructive with all that angry energy. Still, Helena had always balked at the idea of wearing her father's mantle. Barbara knew very well that part of Helena still hated the life and would get out of it were it not for Barbara. Dinah silently entered the room. She couldn't sleep and she knew that she wasn't going to be able to persuade Barbara to rest, but she could at least keep her company in her vigil by Helena's bedside. Seeing Barbara so distraught brought tears to Dinah's eyes. "Barbara, she's gonna be okay. She's too much of a fighter to let this thing beat her." She knelt beside the wheelchair and looked into Barbara's eyes. "She's gonna make it, Barbara." "And if she doesn't?!" Barbara's words were harsh and filled with anger, but Dinah knew she wasn't the target. "If she dies, whose fault will that be?! I did this! I sent her out there! And she knew him! I could hear it! He said the name Gordon. The revenge he missed taking out on me, he took out on her! And I was here," she shouted, slamming the armrests of the wheelchair. "I was here, listening to all of it and." She completely broke down then and Dinah held her as Barbara cried, gut- wrenching sobs. And in that moment of contact, Dinah could see flashes of moments in Barbara's life. In those few seconds, she was made aware of the painful loss Barbara suffered, the sense of hopelessness, and the mixture of happiness and frustration that Helena had brought into her life. In that moment, Dinah knew that losing Helena would do more damage to Barbara than the bullet Joker had fired that fateful night. It would destroy her. 


	9. Part 9 Final Chapter

Time ticked by.the seconds into minutes.the minutes into hours.all of which seemed an eternity to Barbara as she watched and waited. Helena's temperature had stabilized in the past hour, but it was still in the dangerous range. Dinah sat in the corner of the room, eating one of the sandwiches Alfred had thoughtfully brought to the infirmary. Barbara just drank coffee. Bruce had been in and out of the room, checking on the progress of Helena's condition with barely a word to anyone. He would stand over Helena, checking her vitals with business-like precision, then pause and look at her thoughtfully. On one such occasion, he had looked almost sad, shaking his head slowly from side to side. Having just checked Helena's vitals, Barbara knew that his actions had nothing to with Helena's condition, but with some conflict within Bruce himself. She had no idea what was going through his mind, but Barbara hoped that Bruce would come to grips with it soon. His silence was killing her. Dinah watched Bruce from the corner of the room and frowned. After Barbara's breakdown earlier, it seemed impossible to her that Bruce Wayne could act so cold and clinical around Helena. After all, he was Helena's father - her very own flesh and blood. Barbara didn't give birth to Helena, but she displayed more caring and more emotion toward the girl than her own father. True, Bruce Wayne had never known he had a daughter until after Selina's death, while Barbara had known Helena for years. Barbara and Helena had become attached over those years. Bruce Wayne barely knew the girl. Given those facts, Dinah supposed she shouldn't be judgmental. Besides, if he didn't care, why show up to help her? she thought. Dinah wished she could get a glimpse of what was going on in his mind, but after the accidental transference of emotion from Barbara, she knew she wouldn't be up to the task. Dinah turned her attention to her mentor, seated in her wheelchair, guarding Helena as a lioness would guard her cub. Barbara looked so tired, but she refused to relinquish her position beside Helena's bed. After Barbara's emotional outpouring earlier, Dinah tried to convince her to get some rest - to let her take over some of the duties regarding Helena, but Barbara had flatly refused. She wasn't going to leave her bedside until she was certain that Helena was going to be fine. "Barbara," Bruce Wayne's voice shook Dinah out of her thoughts. "I need to speak with you," he turned toward Dinah, "alone." Barbara looked into Bruce's eyes. What she saw there bothered her. She had the feeling she was not going to like what he had to say. "Dinah." "Right," Dinah said, more than slightly annoyed at being shooed out of the room like some child while the adults talked about important things. She rose from her chair, deliberately taking her time as she crossed the room and made her exit.  
  
"What the HELL do you mean you're leaving?!" Fire burned in Barbara's eyes. Gone was the pale, haggard look. What had replaced it was one of pure unadulterated anger. "Barbara, try to understand. I can't stay," Bruce said, flatly. "You can't stay?! How can you leave, Bruce?! Helena is your daughter! She needs you!" "Her temperature is stabilized. Her condition hasn't deteriorated any further," he reasoned. Barbara couldn't believe what she was hearing. Who was this man? she thought. What had happened to the man who she had idolized all these years - her mentor? "Her condition hasn't improved any either! She isn't out of the woods yet!" she shouted. "I've stayed as long as I could, Barbara. Now I have to go. There's nothing more to say, except goodbye," Bruce said, in that flat, placating tone that angered Barbara all the more. He turned to walk toward the door.  
  
Suddenly, all of the fury, all of the rage, boiling inside Barbara erupted. "YOU BASTARD!" Bruce stopped then, but he didn't turn to face Barbara. She was shocked at her outburst, but even more shocked at what Bruce was doing. Fury unleashed, Barbara was a force to be reckoned with. She wouldn't stop until she let him know exactly how she felt. Gone was the reverence she once felt for this man, replaced by anger and disappointment. "You're going to leave again! Leave Gotham! Leave your daughter! You have no idea how much she has needed you to be here - still needs you! You're clueless! You can't keep running from it all! You can't hide from what happened to Selina! To me! When are you going to face that fact? What has happened to you?! What have you become?! Who the HELL are you?! 'Cause you sure as HELL aren't the man I used to know?! Go! Leave! Run out on her again! Helena deserves better!" Bruce Wayne never turned around. He simply said, "You're right," and walked out the door. Barbara sank back in her chair as Dinah rushed into the room. She couldn't believe that she had said all of those things to Bruce. She supposed the anger had been building inside her since he'd left. Nonetheless, the tirade had left her emotionally and physically drained. "Are you okay?" The concern on the young girl's features was touching, but Barbara found that she couldn't look into Dinah's eyes as nodded in assent. After all of the times she'd spoken so highly of her mentor, for him to act this way...she was embarrassed. Dinah seemed to know what Barbara was thinking and didn't push the issue. They both returned to their respective positions in the infirmary in silence.  
  
Dinah checked Helena's forehead and found that her fever had abated a bit. She turned to Barbara, who had nodded off in her wheelchair. She's so exhausted, she thought. She needs to rest. Determined not to take no for an answer, Dinah kneeled beside Barbara and gently nudged her awake. Barbara's eyes opened wide and she was instantly alert. "What? What's wrong?" she asked, worried. "Nothing, Barbara," Dinah said in a soothing tone. "I just wanted to tell you that Helena's fever has gone down. She's breathing a bit easier, too." Barbara moved to check Helena's vitals herself. As she did, a wave of dizziness gripped her and she came close to toppling out of the wheelchair. Dinah moved quickly to steady her. "Barbara, listen to me. You have to get some rest. I'll stay with Helena." "No. I have to be here. What if something happens and her condition deteriorates again?" Dinah moved in front of the chair, positioning herself between Barbara and Helena. "Then, I'll send Alfred to wake you." Before Barbara could open her mouth to protest, Dinah continued, "If something does happen, you're not going to be any good to her like this. You have to get some sleep. It'll be okay. I promise, you'll know the moment her condition changes." Barbara couldn't deny the fact that she was weary to the bone. The girl was right, she wouldn't be any help to Helena in her present state. She backed the wheelchair away form the bed, admonishing, "The minute something changes." "I promise," Dinah said with sincerity. Hating to leave, but knowing it was for the best, Barbara headed out of the infirmary.  
  
Oh my God, Barbara, come quick! Helena!. She silently urged the wheelchair to move faster as she responded to Dinah's cry. The chair's wheels moved as if traveling through quicksand. When she had finally made it inside the infirmary, the sight made Barbara's stomach lurch. Helena was convulsing, Dinah desperately trying to hold onto her flailing limbs. Just as Barbara crossed the expanse of the room to the bed, the convulsing stopped. To her horror, so did Helena's breathing. She reached out to feel the pulse in Helena's neck, and as she stared into the girl's opened, vacant eyes, she found there was none. NOOOO!!  
"NO!" Barbara jerked awake. It took her a moment to realize she had been caught in the grip of a nightmare. It had seemed so real. She looked at the clock beside the bed. She had only been asleep four hours. Hardly the rest Dinah had been talking about, but Barbara had no desire to try to fall back asleep and revisit the painful nightmare once more. She used her arms to slide her body across to the edge of the couch and into a sitting position. Gripping the armrests of the wheelchair beside the couch, she neatly made the transfer from bed to chair in one fluid motion. She had been so tired, she had simply deposited herself on the couch in the Clocktower lair rather than adjourning to her apartment. She hadn't thought she could make the journey. As she prepared to return to the infirmary, a steady blinking caught her eye. The Delphi Monitor was signaling an important message. She would have ignored the alert, but she knew that returning to the infirmary after only four hours asleep was liable to earn a lecture from Dinah. She was in no mood to be scolded by a girl half her age. As she keyed in the access code, the view on the screen changed from an amber alert to a view of a police report. Quickly scanning the report, she realized that it was a homicide investigation. The location of the alleged homicide was the alley near the corner of Adams and Madison, the location of the fight between Huntress and their still-unnamed murderer. She clicked upon the attached photo. As the picture came into view, her eyes widened and she gasped in shock.  
  
Dinah jumped as Helena stirred in the bed and groaned. "Helena?" Helena's eyes fluttered, opened, and slowly focused on the blonde teenager at the side of the bed. She found her voice, and was surprised at how weak and thin it sounded. "You get the license of the truck that hit me?" she said. Dinah couldn't help but laugh, tears of joy coming to her eyes. "You scared the hell out of us, you know," Dinah said. "Scared myself a bit actually," Helena said. She gazed around the room. "Barbara?" she asked. "I sent her off to bed. She was exhausted." "Mmm, good." Helena could feel her strength slowly returning. "How'd you do it? Knock her over the head?" she joked. "Almost had to," Dinah joked back. Helena's mood turned serious. "Does she know?" Dinah shook her head. "No, she feels guilty enough about what happened. I couldn't bring myself to tell her who had done it." "Had done what?" The voice startled both girls as Barbara entered the room. Barbara never gave them time to answer. "I thought you were going to wake me at the slightest change in her condition," Barbara chided.  
  
Looking guilty, Dinah tried to plead her case. "I was just about to come get you." "Right," Barbara said, a hint of annoyance on her face as she moved closer to the bed. Her features softened as she gazed upon Helena. "How are you feeling?" "Been better. What the hell happened?" "Long technological explanation," she said with a smile. "The short story is whatever our friend shot you with wreaked havoc on your system and damn near killed you." There was a look in Barbara's eye as she said the word friend. A slight catch in her voice. Helena gazed at Barbara as she checked her vitals, wondering if she had somehow figured it out. No, Helena thought, she couldn't know. "Well, seems you're making a pretty speedy recovery," Barbara said. "Good. Things were really weird for a while there," Helena said. "I dreamt that.well.that he was here." "Your father was here, Helena. He helped save your life." Helena's eyes opened wide in disbelief. "Is he still." "No," Barbara looked away. "He had to leave." Helena's eyes narrowed. "Figures." She was surprised when Barbara didn't say anything to defend him. Something wasn't right with her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. And she was starting to feel tired again. Barbara, noting the fatigue starting to creep into Helena's features, leaned forward in her chair and brushed a stray strand of hair from Helena's face. "We can talk more later. Right now, I want you to get some rest." Helena didn't need much persuasion. She was soon fast asleep.  
  
When Helena awoke, Dinah was once again seated on a stool beside the bed. Barbara was nowhere to be found, but she knew she couldn't be far. Dinah looked up as Helena stirred. "Morning, sleepy-head," she sang. "How do you feel?" "Better." Helena looked pensive for a moment. "So, you met my old man? What do you think?" Dinah considered this. Should she tell her the truth? She decided she owed her as much. "I wasn't impressed." "Hmm," Helena nodded. "From the way Barbara acted earlier, I take it she's become disenchanted with the great Bruce Wayne?" "Maybe, but I think something else is wrong." Concern flooded Dinah's features. "She's been sitting on the balcony for an hour now. She looks.well.she's not herself." "She knows, doesn't she?" Helena was dreading this moment. "I think maybe she does," Dinah agreed, "but she won't admit it to me. I tried to ask her what was wrong, but she wouldn't say." Helena thought for a moment. "Dinah, give me a hand okay?"  
  
Barbara looked out over New Gotham with new eyes. Everything she knew, believed in, trusted.it had all been taken from her in a matter of days. She heard movement from behind her, but didn't turn around. "Dinah, I told you, I'm fine." "It's not just Dinah." Barbara spun the chair around as Dinah wheeled Helena out onto the balcony in one of Barbara's older-model wheelchairs. "And, no, you're not fine," Helena continued. "So c'mon - out with it." Dinah brought the chair to a halt just in front of Barbara, and the two stood staring at her, waiting for an explanation. When none was forthcoming, Helena spoke again, "Dinah says you blame yourself for what happened out there in the alley. You can't. You had no way of knowing that would happen." Before she could continue, Barbara raised a hand to stop her. "I should have known," she began, her voice shaking. "I should have seen.something." "Barbara, he never gave any indication of who he was. When did he ever give you any sign that he was a homicidal lunatic? How can you blame yourself?" Helena asked, incredulously. Barbara shook her head. "I should have known," she repeated. "I'm Oracle.all-seeing, all-knowing." Her voice dripped sarcasm. "I use my vast knowledge of the cyber-realm to solve crime, while I bring evil in through the back door!" She closed her eyes and she could see Wade, smiling at her. All at once the grin turned lopsided and evil. "I brought him here! I thought I loved him and I never really knew who he was. But he knew who I was - who you were. He used you to get to me. To get revenge on the Gordon name. He planned and plotted right under my nose and I was too blind to see it!" Helena reached out and took Barbara's hand in hers. "I know this much: you would never do anything to hurt me. You would have done everything you could to stop it from happening. You've shown me this time and time again. Hell, you saved me all those years ago." Barbara interrupted her. "I saved you?" her laughter bordered on hysteria. "You have no idea. You once said to me that I would never try to kill myself - that it just wasn't something I would do. You'll never know how wrong you were - how close I came.All that Joker had done repeating over and over in my head. Everything taken away from me in one moment. I was ready to give up - to throw in the towel. But for you. You saved me, Helena!" Tears now coursed down both of their faces. Dinah's as well, from her silent position in the doorway. "Barbara, we saved each other," Helena said. "No! I put you in danger, day after day. You never wanted any of this, but I kept pushing it on you - kept sending you out there into danger. And by bringing Wade into our lives, I put you in even more jeopardy. You could have died, Helena. You would have, if it weren't for Bruce." her voice trailed off. "And where is he now?" Helena asked angrily. "Helena." Barbara began, but Helena cut her off. "No, Barbara, don't. I know why he was here. You begged Alfred to call him. YOU did that. YOU stayed with me the whole time. You and Dinah. All he did was help you find a cure that you would have probably found on your own if you hadn't been so worried about me. The truth of it all is that he has never been there for me. YOU have. Whenever I needed someone after Mom died, it was always you that was there. You stayed with me no matter how hard I lashed out. No matter how hard I tried to push you away." Helena stepped out of the wheelchair and knelt before Barbara, reaching out a hand to brush the tears from Barbara's face. She continued, "It was always you. I could always count on you to be there. And I know that if you could have, you would have been in that alley. If you could have had your way, you would have died to save me. I know that. I know it because of who you are - because of all that you've done for me. I won't let you destroy yourself over something that wasn't your fault - that you couldn't have prevented. I need you, Barbara. Do you understand?" She laid a hand on Barbara's cheek. "I need you in my life. Bruce Wayne may be my father by blood, Barbara, but you're my family. You, Dinah, Alfred - you're the only family I have left. The only family I have any use for and I'm not gonna let this tear our family apart. Got it?" Barbara just stared at Helena for a few seconds. Dinah walked toward them, tears streaming unchecked down her cheeks. "You got that?" Helena asked again. Then, suddenly, through the tears, Barbara smiled. "Yeah.I got it," she said. Helena grinned and the two women embraced. They both reached out a hand and snaring Dinah's arms, pulled her into the embrace. When they parted, Helena smiled. Looking up at Dinah, she joked, "Ya wanna help an old lady back to her chair." Dinah laughed. Barbara watched as Dinah assisted Helena in getting back into the wheelchair. She wasn't completely healed yet, but Barbara wagered she'd be doing back-flips by tomorrow. I should have realized that nothing could keep her down for long, she thought. "So," Helena said, interrupting Barbara's thoughts. "What's there to eat around here? I'm starving!" Barbara and Dinah looked at each other incredulously and began to laugh. Barbara led the way back inside the Clocktower. "Let's see what Alfred can whip up. Then, we can figure out a way to explain what happened in that alley to Detective Reese." As they entered the Clocktower, the sounds of their laughter followed.  
  
~Fini~ 


End file.
